Ivy emerges from self-imposed exile

After her nightmarish past year (public scorn, sex scandals, lawsuits), singer Ivy will be making her comeback to the public eye not with another album, but onscreen in her acting debut.

She’ll take a role in SBS’s Tokyo Shower [도쿄 여우비], a four-episode miniseries to follow the airing of I Love You, which just started last week.

Her management affirms that Ivy’s participation in the drama is all but a done deal (pending the usual finalization of contract issues), but it’s unknown whether she will be in attendance at the drama’s press conference in May, as she’s also going back to the recording studio. (I wonder if that’s really true, or if she’s avoiding a venue where she might be asked irrelevant questions about her personal life?)

The story of the drama is described as a Korean “top star” (played by Kim Sarang) meeting and falling in love with the character played by Kim Tae Woo. Ivy plays a Korean student studying abroad in Japan, working part-time in a sushi restaurant and dreaming of becoming a singer. She’ll also sing the drama’s theme song. On the Japanese side, the drama also stars Okuda Erika (who became known to Korean viewers through a CF she did with Kwon Sang Woo) and veteran actor Yamamoto Gaku, who starred in the original 1978 White Tower (then remade in Japan in 2003, again in Korea last year).

I always thought the “scandal” denouncing Ivy was absurd and hypocritical, so I wish her well. I don’t like her hit singles, but she DOES have strong vocals that are much better showcased in her ballads, and sets herself apart from the pack of gyrating lip-synchers by singing live while dancing (for which she prepared in her trainee days by singing while running on a treadmill — trivia!).

April 14, 2008 at 12:01 PM

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I feel bad for her regarding the scandal, especially since I've never heard her music before... which brings me to one quick question: does she always sound like a chipmunk when she sings...? Not sure if my computer is just horribly messed up or not... but if she does, I have an entirely new reason to feel bad for her, lol.

April 14, 2008 at 12:10 PM

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Ah, darn. It would have been funny if that's how she really sounds, but yeah, it sounds sped up to me.

I'm sure it's just my computer... my laptop's been acting up all week. I only mentioned it, since some of the other songs I was playing on your links, worked normally... but my computer is a piece of crap (my new one's actually supposed to arrive today!) so it's my laptop, don't worry. ^_^

April 14, 2008 at 1:27 PM

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sometimes i wish ivy could be a ballad singer toos. i was shocked that she can actually sing until i finally listened to her ballad, "i must be a fool". it really sucks that many people assume she can't sing because she has a sexy image.

i don't like her dance tracks toos. she uses a weird voice instead of singing normally.

April 14, 2008 at 2:16 PM

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I'm sorry. I just don't like her. I know she can't help the supposed sex tapes and the crazy ex but if she really did two time (with her ex and whee sung) that's just wrong. her singing isn't that great either and her nose looks funny. ...um, yah, that should cover it.

April 14, 2008 at 4:41 PM

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I'm with you javabeans. I think the way the scandal played out was ludicrous. Of course she's not excused from this mess but the way it was portrayed made it seem like she brought everything on herself.

Anyhow, I don't agree with the direction she went as a singer before because I think she has more talent than the pedestrian sexy concept allows for, so I wish her the best with the comeback.

A part of me wants to see her do well and say "Ha! In your face!" but that's just me lol.